Vehicle lams dimmer



G. S. RESSLER. VEHICLE LAMP DIMMER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24'. 1921.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE s. RESSLER, or LANSING, MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE LAM]. IDIMMER'.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. RnssLER,

.a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Lansing, in the county of Inghamland State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Lamp Dimmers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

The invention relates to devices used in connection with vehicle headlights, for the purpose of preventing glare, and the inven- .tion consists in a novel construction readily attachment applied to the headlights of section vehicle; W

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation; Figure 3 is a front elevation, partly in- Fi'gure lis a sectional view showing a modified construction. y

'In the mounting of headlights upon vehicles it is usual to attach the same rigidly :to the chassis frame suitable brackets.

but the size of the lamps varies with different vehicles and also the spacing therebetween. It is one of the features of my invention to provide a supporting frame for my dimmer which is engageahle with the lamps of any vehicle without regard to the size or spacing thereof. This frame con-- sists, essentially, in a pair. of shoes A and A of segmental and concavedform adapted w to embrace the rounded rim of a vehiclelamp. These shoes are rigidly secured to rod sections B and B, which are telescopically engaged with each other and within the outer tubular section B there is a spring C for pressing the inner section B longitudinally outward. The proportion of parts is such that the rods may be collapsed to engage lamps, which are spaced nearest to each other, while the expansion of the spring will bring the shoes in contact with lamps more Widely spaced. In each case the tension is sufiicient to firmly hold the shoes against the lamp rim and thereby to hold the rods in fixed position. However, if desired, a set-screw D or other clamping means may be employed for locking the rods after they have been once adjusted.

Extending upward from the rod B are Specification of Letters iatent. P t t d A g, Application filed January 24, 1921 Serial so. 439,356.

arms E and atthe upper ends of these arms are bearings for a rock shaft G. This rock shaft is tubular and has telescopically therewith'extension sections .H and H which are held in different positions of adjustment by set-screws I. These, set screws also preferably pass: through collars J, which are located adjacent to the arms E and hold the rock shaft-Gfrom lon itudinal displacement. K and K are shie ds mounted at the outer ends of the extension rods H and H, said shields being preferably circular and of a size to obstruct the rays from the lamps when in registration therewith. Each shield isalso formed with a series of louvers L, which, when the shield is in oblique position, permit the passage of rays of light therethroughv in, a horizontal or downwardly inclined direction, but interfere with the passage of upwardly inclined rays. The shields K and K are normally held in down-turned position, by means of a spring M, one end of which is anchored toan arm N clampedupon the rod B, while the outer end is attached to arock arm on the rock shaft G. This rock arm'is preferably in the form of a bell-crank lever, the opposite arm P of which is attached to a rod or flexible connection Q leading to a point under the control of the driver. Thus, whenever the rod Q is actuated, the rock shaft G is tilted to'turn upthe shields K and K,;but when said rod is released, the tension of the spring M will at once pull the shields downward. When in downturned position, indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, sufficient light from the lampwill pass through the louvers L to illuminate the road immediately in front of the vehicle, but when the shields ar'e'turned. upward, the road is illuminated for a much greater distance in advance. It is possible, however, to so limit the upper angle of adjustment that all rays which would cause an objectionable glare are prevented.

With the construction as described, to apply the same to the vehicle. it is only necessary to compress the spring C so as to contract the length of the telescopic rods B and B a suliicient amount to engage the shoes A and A with the rims of the vehicle lamps. Vl hen released, the spring C will force these shoes firmly in contact with said rims and the rod may then be locked by the set screw D. To prevent marring ofthe lamp rim, the shoes are padded on their inner faces with felt or (it-her suitable material, as'indi cated at R. To permit of engagement with lamps of different diameters, the shoes are of a curve to fit the Smallest sized lamp and have the outer end portions of somewhat different curve. for engaging larger lamps. An alternative construction is shown in. Figure 4, in which in place of the shoes A and A q a. T-head S is arrange dat the ends of the telescopic rods B and and to each end of each @ofthese heads is loosely attached a short shoe T] )These shoes are capable of a limited rocking movement, and therefore will'fadj ist themselves to any are according to the size 5' of the "lamp rim.

conditions and'when in the lowest position o'f 'adjus tment, there is still sufiicient light passing through the louvers to illuminate the road immediately ahead.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. A dimmer for headlights,comprising a a longitudinally collapsible frame,'shoes at the opposite ends of said frame for engaging the headlights, 'airook shaft mounted in said frame, andshields secured to said rock shaft and inovable'in relation to said headlights. 3 ,'2.',A dimmerforheadlights. comprising a telescopic rod, shoes at the opposite ends of sa drod'for engaging the headlights, means for resiliently expanding said telescopic rod tofho'ld isaid shoes in engagement, arms extending upward from said rod, arock shaft journaledin said arms, shieldsinounted on said rock shaft in registration with said headlights, and means for rocking said shaft to tilt saidshieldsin relation to said lamp.

" dimmer for vehicle headlights, coniprisi rg a frame longitudinally adjustable,

shoes at opposite ends of said frame for en gagifng'the headlights, rock shaft jouriialed in-jsaitl' frame and longitudinally adjustable "extensions at the'ends of said rock shaft, and

, fi'oin each other,-

shields mounted on said extensions and reg lstr-ahle with said lights, differently spaced iL-QA dimmer forheadlights, comprising a frame'including atubular rod, a segmental I shoe atthe end of said rod for engaging one of a pair of vehicle headlights, a rod telescopi'cally engaging said tubular rod and Whehthe device is installed, the operator is enabled to adjust the shields'according to provided with a segmental shoe forengag1, ing the other of the pair of headlights, a

springwithin saidtubular rod for yieldably pressing the telescopic rod outward, a rock shaft mounted on said frame, and shields mounted on said rock shaft registrable with said headlights. v i

5. A dimmer for vehicle headlights, comprising a frame including a tubular rod, a segmental shoe at the end of said rod concaved to fit over the rim of a vehicle headlight, a rod telescopically engaging said tubular'frod, a similar shoe at the end of said last-mentioned rod for engaging the opposite headlight, a spring within said tuhular rod for y eldably moving said telescopic rod outward, a rock shaft journaled in said frame, telescopic extensions at the ends of saidrock shaft, and shields carried by said" telescopic extensions registrable with the headlights, I l

6. A dimmer for headlights, comprising a frame including a tubular rod, a rock telescopically engaging said tubular rod, a

spring within said tubular rod for yield- 1,

ably pressing the telescopic rod outward, segmental shoes at the opposite ends, of

said rods concaved to embrace the rims of vehicle headlights, arms extending upward from said tubularrod having journal bearingsat their upper ends, a tubular rock shaftjournaled in said bearings, extensions 1 ends of said frame for engaging the headlights, shields, for said: head-lights, and means .mounted upon said frame for rocking said shields inre-lation to said headlights. i i I f .In testimony whereof I 'afiix my signature] a GEORGE, s. RESSLER, 

